2:00PM UPDATE - According to the latest Press Conference, the Caughlin Fire is 80% contained.
10:20AM UPDATE - Caughlin Fire is now 65 percent contained. The cause of the fire is believed to be accidental. People will be able to reenter their homes at noon with ID.
8:10AM UPDATE - As the Disaster Recovery Team continues to assess the areas affected by the Caughlin Fire for public safety, residents are not yet being permitted to return to their homes. Depending on the outcome of the assessment, law enforcement plans to begin the public re-entry process mid-day Saturday.
A media briefing is scheduled for 10:00 a.m. Saturday morning at the Galena High School Command Post.
10:20 UPDATE:
NV Energy Spokeswoman Faye Anderson tells News 4 most of the power has been restored in the areas affected by the Caughlin Fire.
Andserson says if you live in that area and still do not have power, please call NV Energy at 775-834-4100 to report the outage.
9:30PM UPDATE:
Faye Anderson with NV Energy tells News 4 there are now 2130 customers without power due to the high winds and Caughlin Fire damage. There were 4100 customers without power earlier in the day. She expects another large group of customers to regain power by 11:00pm.
8:50PM UPDATE:
Officials will announce the plan for residents' return to homes on Saturday, November 19. A time for that announcement has not yet been set, but it could be made at the 10AM brief at Galena High School.
Reno, Nev. (MyNews4.com & KRNV) - The United States Postal Service tells News 4 they were unable to make deliveries to more than 6,000 postal customers. On Friday, no deliveries were made to the entire 89519 ZIP Code, which is primarily in the Caughlin Ranch area. This affects about 4,200 mail customers. Also, about 2,000 mailboxes served from the neighboring 89509 ZIP Code could not be delivered. If customers need their mail, they are encouraged to come to the Reno Main Post Office at 2000 Vassar St.
Smaller delivery delays occurred in ZIP Code 89511, with a few road closures affecting where carriers could go. Customer can pick their mail up at Steamboat Station, 75 McCabe St.
Additionally, some deliveries could not be made in ZIP Code 89523. Those affected customers can retrieve their mail at the Peavine Station, 1580 Grandpoint Dr.
Future delivery decisions will be made after consulting with local emergency managers.
Affected ZIP Code Approximate Number of Where to Get Mail
Customers Affected
89519 4,050 Main Office, 2000 Vassar
89509 1,200 Main Office, 2000 Vassar
89511 700 Steamboat Station, 75 McCabe
89523 90 Peavine Station, 1580 Grandpoint
8:30PM UPDATE:
With a new count, officials say there are now 21 homes that have been destroyed or damaged in the fire. Earlier reports had said there were 25 homes destroyed or damaged.
7:15PM UPDATE - Here is the latest update on the Caughlin Fire:
Clarification: The 211 (775-337-5800) Call Center will continue to answer inquiries, however they are not returning calls when it is safe to return home. Officials will announce the plan for residents' return to homes on Saturday, Nov. 19. Please monitor the local media and
http://Reno.gov/CaughlinFire for more information.
Clarification:Today the City of Reno, Washoe County and State of Nevada declared a state of emergency allowing the state to obtain funds to fight the fire. The Fire Management Assistance Grant (FMAG) funds are awarded federally only to obtain resources and equipment to fight the fire. The State of Nevada is now eligible to receive funding for firefighting assistance.
Washoe County Animal Control has taken in about 15 pets. Some of these pets may have been left at the evacuation center at Reno or Galena High School. Pets can be claimed tomorrow at Animal Control (2825 Longley Lane) between 11am and 1pm. Call 322-3647 during that time to make arrangements as Animal Control is normally closed on Saturdays.
U.S. Senator Dean Heller and U.S. Congressman Mark Amodei will tour the disaster site tomorrow afternoon.
To volunteer, contact the Red Cross at 775-856-1000.
Food donations, contact Salvation Army at 775-856-1000
2:40PM UPDATE - The rumors of people being permitted back into evacuated areas are not true.
All evacuees are being sent to Reno High School. Galena High School will now be used only as a command post.
Updated information, including maps that will soon be available, is at
http://reno.gov/caughlinfire There is a tip line for after-fire recovery of homes: 775-745-5514
A Disaster Recovery Team, consisting of representatives of the Reno Fire Department, Reno Police Department, NV Energy, the Truckee Meadows Fire Protection District, City of Reno Public Works, Washoe County and City of Reno building officials, and a Nevada Disaster representative will enter the areas affected by the fire. They will determine safe areas first, then identify individual home addresses that are safe for re-entry. Once this has been done, the Reno Police Department will organize residential re-entry.
The Nevada National Guard is conducting wellness checks in the area, with 100 Guardsmen working alongside local law enforcement.
To Volunteer, contact the Red Cross at 856-1000
4,100 customers are without electricity.
140 customers are without gas.
The evacuation area has been expanded. It is now McCarran north to Caughlin Parkway, and south to Caughlin Ranch Elementary School and Alum Creek area.
The boundary to the south is Zolezzi Lane to Arrowcreek Parkway.
A fire that broke out on Friday, Nov. 18 around 12:30 a.m. in Southwest Reno has burned at least 400 acres and is zero percent contained so far. The Reno Fire Chief has confirmed about 20 homes have been destroyed. Fire crews are working to save 6-8 homes right now. One death has been confirmed, a man has died of a cardiac arrest.
Reno Police is asking everyone not to call 911 unless it is an emergency. The city of Reno, Washoe County, and Governor Brian Sandoval has called for a state of emergency.
Right now, access and winds are the biggest challenges. Washoe County, Storey County, and Carson are all out battling the blaze. The Reno Fire Chief says they are looking to bring in other resources from outside the state. They expect crews will be on scene for at least the next 12-24 hours.
The new number to call for information about the Caughlin Fire is 775-337-5800. The 211 system is getting a lot of phone traffic.
Stay with News 4 for the latest updates.
Residents are being evacuated to Reno High School and Galena High School according to a spokesperson with the City of Reno. At least a hundred people are taking refuge. Reno High has been reported at full capacity.
The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) has declared the Caughlin fire a “major disaster. The decision makes the region eligible for assistance in the mitigation, management, and control of burning on publicly or privately owned land.
“I’m grateful that FEMA was able to react so quickly to the Governor’s request. FEMA’s assistance is a welcome contribution to the on-going efforts for containing this tragic fire. I and my staff will continue to monitor the situation and assist in any we can to help direct federal resources to the region” said Senator Dean Heller.
The state was approved for a Fire Management Assistance Grant, which allows for cost sharing on eligible firefighting resources. FEMA evaluates threats to lives and property, availability of first responders and their resources, danger conditions and economic impact when evaluating a major disaster.
The Washoe County School district has confirmed that all WCSD schools are cancelled except for Natchez, Incline Schools and Gerlach. They say the Reno Fire Department and the Washoe County School District asked the school district to shut down due to the impact the Caughlin fire will have on transportation and emergency responders in the area. The WCSD is being used as a support for the community in the areas of transportation, evacuation sites, and their school police.
Others schools also closed include, Reno Christian Schools, Lion & Lamb Christian School, Bishop Manogue, Little Flower, Sage Ridge, Lady of the Snows, and Brookfield School on McCarran Blvd.
Truckee Meadows Community College tells us that all campus sites and locations will be open except for the Meadowood Center and the Applied Tech Center on Edison Way. UNR has confirmed that classes will resume as usual.
Reno Police officers on scene say McCarran Blvd. is closed from Lakeside Dr. to Caughlin Ranch.
Nevada Senator Harry Reid has released the following statement "I am deeply saddened by the devastating fires in Reno that have displaced families and destroyed homes. My thoughts are with all the families that have been affected by this terrible disaster, and I thank the fire fighters and first responders who continue working to ensure the safety of residents in the area."
According to an NV energy spokesperson, as of 2:45 a.m. 1,000 people are without power. News 4 has confirmed power outages are affecting traffic signals from Arlington and Plumas streets.
The Reno-Tahoe International Airport is reporting at least a dozen flights have been cancelled due to high winds. Call your airline for information on your flights. Officials want to urge that it has nothing to do with the Caughlin Fire, just heavy winds.
The Sienna Hotel Spa & Casino say they are offering a $29 per night rate for local residents who are displaced.
Mary Beth Sewald, fire dangerously close as firefighters pull hose through the yard.
